HC Deb 06 August 1976 vol 916 c1186W
Mrs. Millie Miller

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the increase in the number of fatalities and accidents in local authority areas where public lighting has been reduced.

Mr. Marks

To conserve fuel during the winter of 1973–74 local authorities were urged to reduce street lighting first by 10 per cent. and then by 50 per cent.

Over this period fatal and serious casualties in daylight fell by 8 per cent. while those in darkness rose by 3 per cent.

How much of this increase was due to reduced lighting and how much to other factors, such as variations in traffic flows, cannot be determined.

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